Railway-tie and fastener



H. A. CLARK.

RAILWAY TIE AND FASTENER;

APPUCATION FILED JULY 29,1920:

Patented Dec. 7,1920.

A TTOR/VEYS HARRY ADAM CLARK, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

RAILWAY-TIE AND FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 7, 1920.

Application filed July 29, 1920. Serial No. 399,770.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY ADAM CLARK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway- Ties and Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to railway ties and fasteners, and a purpose of my invention is the provision of a railway tie and fastener of simple and durable construction which effectively supports the rails and their loads, securely holds the rails against spreading, and withstands the action of the elements.

I will describe one form of railway tie and fastener embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view showing in top plan one form of railway tie and fastener embodying my invention in applied position with respect to a track.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the railway tie and fastener in side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to the preceding views showing the railway tie and fastener in end elevation.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of one of the rail fasteners shown in the preceding views and in applied position with respect to a rail.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of one of the jaws comprising the rail fastener shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Fig. 7 is a view showing in end elevation the clamping jaw shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the bolt locking plates comprised in the rail fastener shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring specifically to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, I have here shown a complete railway tie constructed in accordance with my invention which comrises a pair of rectangular shaped blocks and B arranged end to end and spaced apart and rigidly connected against relative outward movement by means of a tie bar T. Each block B, or B is preferably formed of concrete molded in such manner as to provide on the bottom surface thereof a plurality of transversely extending ribs 15. The opposite ends of each block B or B are formed adjacent the bottom thereof with sockets 16 which, as shown in dash lines in Fig. 2, extend inwardly for an appreciable distance to receive heads 17 formed on the opposite ends of the tie bar T. The tie bar T is formed of any suitable metal and is circular in cross section as clearly shown in Fig. 5. As shown in Fig. 2, the opposite ends of the tie bar T are bent downwardly so as to embrace the outer ends of the blocks B and B, the free ends of the bar constituting a head 17 and being disposed within the sockets 16 at the outer ends of the blocks. It is to be understood that the sockets at the inner ends of the blocks are only adapted to be used when the blocks are reversed in position, such construction permitting of the universal application of any one block to another block. This eliminates the necessity of selecting the particular block to be paired with another block when forming a railway tie.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the tie bar T is formed with downwardly bent ortions 18 which, in theapplied position of the tie bar to the blocks B and B, are adapted to repose within suitable recesses formed in the upper sides of the blocks. Embracing these bent portions 18 are rail fasteners each of which in the present instance comprises an upper jaw 19 and a lower jaw 20, both of such jaws being curved transversely and bent longitudinally in the same direction to conform to the angularity of the bent portion 18. The opposite ends of each of the jaws 19 and 20 are provided with linear flanges 21 which extend tangentially of the curved portion of the jaws in the manner shown in Fig. 7. Adjacent the flanges 21, each bar is recessed as indicated at 22 for receiving the parallel portions of U-bolts 23. As shown in Fig. 4, the U-bolts are arranged to embrace the jaws 19 and 20 with their free ends extending through rail securing plates 24 which are recessed upon their confronting edges to accommodate the longitudinal edges of the base flange of a conventional form of rail. The rail is designated at R in Fig. 4 and as here shown the base of such rail is disposed in spanning relation with respect to the upper jaw 19 with its longitudinal edges interposed between the jaw 19' and the securing plates 24. The bolts 23 are provided at their free ends with nuts 25 which are adapted to be locked against displacement by means of locking plates 26. As illustrated to advantage in Fig. 8, each locking plate 26 is split transversely in the manner shown "to provide reversely disposed locking fingers 27. The locking fingers normally occupy the position of the locking finger shown at the left hand end of Fig. 8, but in applied looking position, they are bent upwardly and rearwardly upon themselves in the manner of the fingershown at the right hand end of Fig. 8 so as to engage one face of a nut 25 and to thuslock the same against rotation. In the present instance I have shown arcuate plates QS iiormed of insulating material in ter'pos'ed between the jaws 1'9- and 20 and the tie bar T, the purpose of this arrangement being to insulate the rail R from the tie bar and to thus eifect an insulation of one rail of the trackfrom the other, as is necessary in certain formsof block signaling systems.

As shown in Fig. 1, a pair of wooden blocks K are arranged in suitable depressions formed in the upper side of the block B or B at opposite sides of the tie bar T. These wooden blocks are arranged below the track rails in a manner to support the same, thus providing the necessary cushioning means for the rails and also taking up the wear ofthe rails.

From the foregoing description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it will'he manifest that when a tie construc'ted in accordance with my invention is in ap-plied position within a roadbed, the ribs 15 serve to firmly hold the blocks B and B in the roadbed in a manner to pre-- vent lateral movement of such blocks. The tie bar T by virtue of the heads 17 and the manner in which it embraces the outer ends of the blocks B and B", prevents relative outward movement of the blocks thus main ta'ining the wooden blocks K in definite position's with respect to the rails of a track. The rail fasteningmeans embracing the bent portions 18 of the 'tie bar are locked against longitudinal movement upon the tie bar so that when in embracing position with respect 'to a rail, any lateral movement of the latter upon the tie is prevented, thus securing the two rails of a track against spreadlng.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of railway tie and fastener embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and if'nodifioations "may be made hereinlwithout string from the spirit of the invention and thespirit and scope of the appended ol'ainis,

my ti emnri' iaa pa f plastic blocks spaced apart and formed with sockets in the opposite ends thereof, a tie bar spanning the blocks and having the opposite ends thereof bent to embrace the ends of said blocks and to form heads which engage in said sockets, and rail fasten-ing means carried by said bar.

2. A railway tie comprising, a pair of plastic blocks spaced apart and formed with sockets in the opposite ends thereof, a tie bar spanning the blocks and having the opposite ends thereof bent to embrace the ends of said blocks and to form heads which engage in said sockets, blocks partly embedded in said plastic blocks and disposed at opposite sides of said tie bar, and rail fastening means carried by said bar and interposed between the last mentioned blocks.

8'. A railway tie comprising, a pair of plastic blocks spaced apart and formed with sockets in the opposite ends thereof, a tie bar spanning the blocks and having the opposite ends thereof bent to embrace the ends of said blocks and to form heads which engage in said sockets, wooden blocks supported on said plastic blocks, and rail fasvtening means carried by said tie bar.

4. In combination, a railway tie, comprising, a pair of plasticblocks spaced apart and provided with sockets, a tie bar spanning the blocks, heads formed on the tie bar and fitting within said sockets, bent portions formed in said tie bar, and rail fastening members embracing said bent portions.

5. In combination, a railway tie com- 100 prising, a pair of plastic blocks spaced apart and provided with sockets, a tie bar spanning the blocks, heads formed on the tie bar and fitting within said sockets, bent portions formed in said tie bar, and rail 1"05 fastening members embracing said bent portions and comprising, a pair of jaws, U- bolts for securing the jaws in clamping position, and rail securing plates secured to said jaws.

6. In combination, a railway tie comprising, a pair of plastic blocks spaced apart and provided with sockets, a tie bar spanning the blocks, heads formed on the tie bar and fitting within said sockets, bent 115 portions formed in said tie bar, and rail fastening members embracing the bent portionsand comprising, a pair of jaws curved transversely and bent longitudinally to conform ;to the shape of said bent portions,rail 120 securing plates supported on one of said 'j'aws, U-bolts embracing said jaws and extending through said plates, and means for locking the U-bo'lt's in applied position. I

I bit a w yt 'ie Qom'pris- 125 ing, a pair of plastic blocks spaced apart and provided with sockets, a ti e .bar spanning "the blocks, heads formed on the tie ar-a d fit ing t n said socket temporseas arran ing-sad tie an rai 'ta's 'enno ing members embracing the bent portions and comprising, a pair of jaws curved transversely and bent longitudinally to conform to the shape of said bent portions, rail securing plates supported on one of said jaws, U-bolts embracing said jaws and extending through said plates, and means for locking the U-bolts in applied position comprising, nuts on said bolts and plates split to provide locking fingers which engage said nuts in a manner to prevent rotation thereof.

8. A railway tie comprising, a pair of rectangular blocks formed of plastic material, ribs formed on the bottom of said blocks,

sockets formed in the opposite ends of saidblocks, recesses formed in the upper side of said blocks, a tie bar spanning the blocks and having end portions bent to embrace the outer ends of said blocks and to form heads which fit within said sockets, blocks seated within said recesses, and rail fastening means carried by said tie bar ,and interposed between last mentioned blocks.

HARRY ADAM CLARK. 

